More impetus has been added to the fight against the killer virus, Covid-19 in Cameroon following an interministerial meeting held today Monday April 20 between the Ministry of Public Health and that of Decentralisation and Local Development.
The meeting at the Public Health Emergency Operation Centre in Yaounde, which was aimed at furthering the involvement of councils and city councils within the framework of decentralization of Anti-Covid-19 Prevention and Response, brought together officials of the Yaounde City Council and the Special Fund for Equipment and Intercommunal Intervention(FEICOM).
According to a joint press release signed by Ministers, Dr. Manaouda Malachie of Public Health and George Elanga Obam of Decentralization and Local Development, councils and city councils have to effectively play their public health and social role as spelt out in the Decentralization Law.
Local authorities have to ensure the social and health management of infected persons by providing their basic needs of food and sanitary items while also establishing sites for burial in cases of deaths.
They are also to mobilise community health workers in raising awareness of the pandemic and disinfection of cities on large scale.
The local authorities are henceforth charged with quarantine locations that meets the expected standards.
FEICOM which was represented by its Director General, Phillip Camille Akoa during today’s meeting, is expected to assist the various councils through financial assistance.
At the time of this report, 1,017 cases of the disease had been registered, 42 deaths and 307 recoveries in the country according to Official statistics
By Macwalter Njapteh
